Lost Crusader #245 Spiritual Gifts

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

I will tell you from the outset that these are selected verses from 1 Corinthians 12 and not the entire chapter, not even close. I presented them as I did only for the sake of brevity. I am supposing you are familiar with all that lies in between or will resort to the rest of the text.

There is one other piece of information you should consider. My roots are in Pentecostalism. It may safely be assumed that I believe the gifts Paul talks about in this chapter are currently in operation and there has never been a time when they were not. They were not born with the Pentecostal Movement, nor did they die with the first Century. Why then, do we not see them today? I offer three reasons.

Need is the first of these reasons. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing…: There is not so much as a hint of need in the modern American church. I’m talking about spiritual need. We have programs, projects, and activities to bring people in. When they come, we make them comfortable with our own versions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The product is a homogeneous mass of cells—not a living body of different parts.

Denial is reason number two. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? The assumed answer by the overwhelming body of Christians is “No” and they will cling to that answer come what may. The best answer goes back to need. Was Balaam’s donkey a special spiritual donkey or was it just available when God needed it? The latter is far more likely. The heart in tune with the Spirit’s voice and available to be used will be used. And in ways they never dreamed they would or could be. If the Spirit says, “Speak” and we refuse saying in ourselves, “I’m not a prophet, preacher, or apostle” can we say we obeyed the Lord? I think not. Yet, this goes on in many a Christian heart.

Finally, there is the strength of denial—Fear. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. Most Christians are paralyzed by the fear that they will do or say something “in themselves”. I understand that fear, been there, done that.

The best boss I ever had told me when I took the job of night nursing supervisor, “Do what your heart and training tells you is the right thing. There’s nothing we can’t fix in the morning.” I know she apologized for my terse manner more than once. She never asked for an apology from me for doing what she wanted, even if it wasn’t quite how she would have handled it.

I think God is happy with dripping wet believers who try to go to Him on the water. We are not called to believe so much as we are called to faith. To have faith is to act. Perhaps that’s why we exercise faith to make it grow.